A plan to restore Hillsboro's Town Theater will be presented tonight to City Council members during a work session after their regular meeting.

Courtesy of Washington County Historical SocietyThe Town Theater opened in 1957 on East Main Street in downtown Hillsboro after the Venetian was destroyed by fire. A pair of investors plan to renovate the theater -- closed for about the past 15 years -- and convert the former Bristol Hardware building to the east into an Italian Restaurant.

The plan for the old East Main Street movie house calls for restoring the building to the look it had when it originally opened as "The Venetian" and using it to present movies and live theater. An Italian restaurant in the building just to the east also is part of the proposal.

John Southgate, leader of the city's downtown economic revitalization efforts, said the city would transfer the buildings' ownership to Denzil Scheller under the proposal. He and Saxony Peterson, both downtown property owners, would operate the theater and restaurant.

Southgate said the proposal will have to be approved by the City Council before specific negotiation get under way.

"But, I'm very optimistic," he said.

Mayor Tom Hughes said he is enthusiastic about the theater and restaurant combination.

"We know these people," he said of Scheller and Peterson. "They have a good track record and are solid investors in the community."

City Council members will begin their regular meeting at 7 tonight in the auditorium of the Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E. Main St. To see the council's meeting agenda, click here.